Jury Commissioners Elect State Officers

The Pennsylvania State Association of Jury Commissioners elected Larry Thompson of Butler County to a full term as president of the organization. Thompson has led the organization since early this year when the previous president resigned.

During the organization’s annual meeting on Friday in Harrisburg, the organization also elected Clinton Bonetti of Butler County as first vice president, Joy Foreman of Blair County as second vice president, and Ruth Luce of Centre County as treasurer.

The association also voted to give the executive committee approval to appeal a decision of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The case involves the legislature’s approval to give county commissioners the power to abolish the elected position of jury commissioner.

The Commonwealth Court, in a 4-to-3 vote, last week rejected the claims of the jury commissioners that the law violated the state constitution and was passed in violation of the commonwealth’s rule against bundling multiple subjects of laws into one bill.

“The law is tantamount to the executive branch of government moving against and regulating the judicial branch and is a violation of separation of powers,” Thompson said. “The close vote by the Commonwealth Court justices indicates there is a real concern about the validity of this law. We are confident that the Supreme Court will reverse the ruling of the Commonwealth Court.”

Legal representatives of the Pennsylvania State Association of Jury Commissioners indicated the appeal will be filed early this week.

Thompson announced the 2013 conference will be held from July 24 to July 27 in Butler County.